Failed burglary lands man 18-months in prison

Jamie Cansell was sentenced to 18 months for attempted burglary and car theft

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A serial burglar who startled a Haslemere man who found him in the porch of his house, has been jailed for 18 months.

Jamie Cansell, aged 21 and of no fixed abode, attempted to break into a home on Bridge Street on September 2, but was seen by neighbours and escaped in a stolen car.

Appearing at Guildford Crown Court on Tuesday, he admitted attempted burglary, theft of a Saab car and driving while disqualified. He also admitted making off without payment for £25 worth of fuel put into the stolen car at an Esso petrol station in Epsom and theft of a £300 GPS tracker.

The owner of the house eventually targeted had been having a barbecue and became concerned because the side gate to his property was open.

Ms Henny said: “He came into his porch and came face to face with the defendant and asked him what he was doing.

“The defendant asked ‘does Rob live here?’ before trying to leave. The man followed the defendant with another neighbour.”

The two men chased Cansell to the car park of the Inn on the Lake pub where he got into a Saab, later found to be stolen, and drove away. Cansell filled the Saab with £25 worth of petrol the following day.

Police were able to identify Cansell with CCTV footage.

Officers then tracked him down to a caravan in the Cranleigh countryside where he was found hiding in the toilet.

The court heard Cansell had agreed to take part in a police scheme to monitor his behaviour in July in an attempt to stop his repeated offending.

A gps tracker valued at £300 was fitted to him on July 7, but when police checked it on July 15, it had disappeared.

Anthony Bridgen, defending, admitted Cansell was a repeat offender whose modus operandi included stealing a car to assist escape after a robbery.

Cansell’s previous crimes left him with 14 and 16-month sentences in young offender institutions in 2011 and 2012 for home burglary and aggravated vehicle taking.

“He fully appreciates probation has indicated it can’t help him any more.

“He fully accepts that,” said Mr Bridgen.

“One factor to consider is nobody was hurt or put in danger and no burglary was actually committed.”

Judge Christopher Critch-low said he could not consider suspending a prison sentence as Cansell was likely to ‘go out and commit further offences’.

Cansell was sentenced to nine months in prison for the attempted burglary, a consecutive three months for theft of the car, three months for driving while disqualified, two months concurrent for making off without paying and another three months consecutive for theft of the gps tracker.